Former presidential aide Reno Omokri has addressed the resurfacing of his past criticisms of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, saying the statements were made in error and were later publicly withdrawn after he discovered they were untrue.
Omokri’s response followed arguments raised during the ongoing trial of activist and former presidential candidate Omoyele Sowore at the Federal High Court in Abuja. Sowore is standing trial on an amended two-count charge under the Cybercrimes Act.
The issue came to the fore on Tuesday, January 27, 2026, when Sowore’s lawyer, Abubakar Marshal, questioned why Omokri was cleared by the Department of State Services (DSS) for a potential ambassadorial role despite previously making harsh allegations against Tinubu.
During proceedings, the defence played video clips from a 2023 interview in which Omokri described Tinubu as a “drug lord,” remarks that drew attention in court.
In a statement released on Wednesday, Omokri admitted to making the comments but said they were based on information he believed to be accurate at the time.
“I freely admit that I made uncomplimentary remarks about the then presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress, believing them to be true when I said them,” he stated.
He explained, however, that subsequent findings showed the claims were false, prompting him to withdraw them publicly on several platforms.
“After discovering that those statements were not factual, I retracted them openly—both in writing and on video—across multiple channels,” Omokri said.
According to him, his position changed formally on May 29, 2023, the day Tinubu was sworn in as President, when he issued a statement recognising Tinubu’s presidency and urging Nigerians to move forward.
Omokri said he reaffirmed that stance on October 26, 2023, following the Supreme Court’s dismissal of all legal challenges to Tinubu’s election.
“The Supreme Court made it clear that there were no criminal charges or convictions against the President,” he noted, adding that he accepted the ruling without reservation.
He further disclosed that he apologised publicly for his earlier claims during live television appearances on platforms including TVC, News Central Television, and Channels Television’s *Politics Today*.
Beyond public apologies, Omokri revealed that he also offered a personal apology to President Tinubu in October 2024, travelling from California to Nigeria to do so.
“I apologised privately and in person. I even prostrated before the President,” he said.
Addressing the legal arguments raised during Sowore’s trial, Omokri maintained that his withdrawn statements from 2022 and 2023 could not legally justify or defend publications made by Sowore in August 2025.
“Mr Sowore cannot rely on statements I made years earlier—statements I had already retracted—as a defence for his later actions,” he argued.
To support his position, Omokri cited established legal principles on evidence, referencing *Phipson on Evidence*, which states that prior statements may not be admitted to prove the truth of the matters asserted.
He once again denied the allegation against the President, insisting it had no basis.
“I affirm today, as I have done repeatedly, that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is not, has never been, and will never be a drug lord,” Omokri declared.
He added that his statements were made voluntarily and that he was willing to testify under oath if required.
“I am fully prepared to swear to these facts in court,” he said.
Tense Moments in Court
Tuesday’s court session was marked by tense exchanges as Sowore’s counsel tendered a flash drive containing video recordings of Omokri’s earlier remarks during the cross-examination of a DSS operative, Cyril Nosike.
One clip showed Omokri asserting that Tinubu was a “known drug lord” and claiming to possess documents to support the allegation. Another featured him stating he would never collaborate with Tinubu.
Although the prosecution, led by Akinlolu Kehinde, objected to the admissibility of the videos, Justice Mohammed Umar dismissed the objection and admitted the exhibits into evidence.
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The case has been adjourned until February 4 for further hearing.
